Pajamas Media is running a weekly straw poll on the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations. You can vote for both Democrats and Republicans. The sample is obviously not representative of the general public and undoubtedly leans to the pro-Iraq war right, but the results are interesting nonetheless.

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On the Republican side, the leaders are Rudy Giuliani (34 percent) and Newt Gingrich (33), with Mitt Romney in third place (17). John McCain is much lower (5). This reflects the views of the right blogosphere, at least the blogs that I read. Giuliani is highly popular there; McCain, seen as the favorite of the mainstream media, is highly unpopular.

Should we expect the Grand Old Party to become the Gay Old Party in 2008 and put its stamp of approval on a guy 100 percent committed to the homosexual activist agenda?



No that photo you're seeing has not been retouched. It really is Rudy Giuliani made up in a blond wig and pink dress in a spoof of "Victor-Victoria" for the 1997 Inner Circle dinner. He followed that up with more cross-dressing antics on "Saturday Night Live." Then in 2001, he agreed to appear in drag in an episode of "Queer As Folk."

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Back in January, Giuliani was invited to speak to the Global Pastors Network in Orlando – an evangelical group determined to establish 5 million new churches around the world in the next decade to fulfill the Great Commission.

Suddenly, before this audience, Giuliani was transformed into a man of faith.

Asked if he was running for president, he said: “Only God knows. I’ll know better in a year whether I can fully commit to that process.” Notice he said “fully commit,” which suggests he is already partially committed.

The pastors unwisely said they’d pray for him. I hope they meant that they would pray for his conversion, pray that he would renounce his sins, pray that he would not run for president, pray that he would not win. But I have no such confidence in foolish evangelicals who are too easily seduced by worldly power politics.

Giuliani’s response: “I appreciate you. I can tell you from my heart how much I appreciate what you are doing: saving people, telling them about Jesus Christ and bringing them to God.”

Excuse me, shouldn’t a man with Giuliani’s record be kicked out of the church? Again, I’m all for praying for his salvation, but does anyone really believe Giuliani is a sincere follower of Jesus Christ? Shame on any professing Christian who doesn’t have sufficient discernment to see through this charade.

Guess what, folks: If you fall for this self-serving hokum, you will have only yourself to blame for your poor political choices in 2008.

Section 311. Militia: composition and classes

(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied

males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section

313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a

declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States

and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the

National Guard.

(b) The classes of the militia are -

(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard

and the Naval Militia; and

(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of

the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the

Naval Militia.

Evangelical Christians—a category that cuts across denominational lines—are [...]underrepresented, according to Furman University political scientist James Guth, all the more so after this year’s defeat of Republican incumbents like Reps. John Hostettler of Indiana and Jim Ryun of Kansas.

BORDER POLITICS

The loss Tuesday of the 30th Republican House seat, representing a U.S.-Mexican border district in Texas, marked another political failure of hard-line immigration policies.

Immigration was not the central issue when Democratic former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez upset seven-term Rep. Henry Bonilla, a rare Latino Republican in Congress. Bonilla, who supported a border fence while Rodriguez did not, lost border counties he previously had carried. He won Maverick County, 95 percent Hispanic, with 59 percent in 2004 but lost it with just 14 percent Tuesday.
A footnote: Six-term Rep. J.D. Hayworth lost in Arizona after stressing immigration. Randy Graf lost an Arizona border district where he made immigration his major issue. Six-term Rep. John Hostettler, chairman of a House immigration subcommittee, lost his Indiana district despite stressing his opponent’s softness on the issue.

The leadership ambitions of two senior Democrats have already been deep-sixed for their murky ethics histories. Here’s a third Democrat heading for a powerful post whom folks may want to keep an eye on.

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) is under investigation by the FBI. And he’s set to assume a top post which would put him in control of the FBI’s budget. Neat trick, eh?

The FBI’s probing Mollohan for possible violations of the law arising from his sprawling network of favors and money which connects him to good friends via questionable charities, alarmingly successful real estate ventures, and hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarked funds.

The investigation appears to be active and ongoing. We’re told that the Feds continue to gather information on the guy. Yet the Democrats look poised to make Mollohan the chairman of the panel which controls the purse strings for the entire Justice Department—including the FBI.